


The First Choice

by kiyala



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, Misunderstandings, Pro Basketball Player Aomine Daiki, Pro Basketball Player Kagami Taiga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-30
Updated: 2015-12-30
Packaged: 2018-05-10 07:38:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5576998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aomine is injured while playing professional basketball for a team in America. Kuroko's first instinct is to rush to his side, and it draws out the insecurities Kagami has been sitting on for years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The First Choice

**Author's Note:**

> My half of a trade with the lovely, amazingly talented [papricots](http://papricots.tumblr.com/)!

It's a quarter to seven and Kagami would probably be finished making dinner if not for Kuroko distracting him. Kuroko can't really bring himself to feel bad for it, perched on the kitchen counter with Kagami's hands on his sides as they kiss. Kuroko has his hands fisted in the front of Kagami's shirt to keep him close, panting softly against his mouth. Kagami presses countless small kisses to Kuroko's lips, his mouth soft and insistent. His lips are red and shining with spit, and Kuroko is breathless, his head spinning with desire.

Kagami pulls away and Kuroko makes a low sound of protest at the back of his throat, grip tightening on the soft fabric between his fingers. Kagami chuckles, deep and just as breathless as Kuroko feels. "The alarm's going to go off soon."

"Maybe, but it hasn't gone off just yet," Kuroko points out, kissing the corner of Kagami's mouth. "We still have time."

Kagami hums happily, letting Kuroko pull him back in for another kiss. "You're eager tonight."

"I'm always eager," Kuroko replies, squeezing Kagami's side with his knees. "I want—"

He's cut off by the kitchen timer going off. They pull apart with matching sighs of disappointment, and Kagami gives Kuroko a parting kiss.

"Hold that though, mm?"

Kuroko swallows hard and nods. "Yeah."

He stays where he is as Kagami goes to check on the pasta bake he has in the oven. He takes it out, setting it aside to cool. He sets the timer for another five minutes before he steps closer to Kuroko, gently pushing his knees apart to stand between them again.

"Five minutes," Kagami murmurs, and Kuroko is glad that they've already gotten their bowls out and set the table. It means that they don't need to waste any time doing that now. He rests his hands on Kagami's shoulders, smiling into their next kiss. 

Unfortunately, the five minutes feel like they pass in the blink of an eye, the timer going off just as their kisses start getting deeper. They pull apart reluctantly and Kagami helps Kuroko down off the counter. Kuroko licks his lips, helping Kagami move everything over to the dining table. 

Date night usually goes like this: Kagami cooks dinner for them, like he usually does. They eat at the dining table, and then they curl up on the couch together to watch their recording of the most recent NBA game.

Aomine has been in America for the past two years, LA Lakers, and they never miss watching one of his games. It's not quite the same as watching a live game, like going to Kagami's matches, but Kuroko supposes that it's the best that they can do.

Kagami has been restless for this entire basketball season, because he's been told to take a break to build more strength in his legs before he makes a serious bid for a place on the national team. His constant jumping has started to take its toll and Kagami's coach is concerned about the long-term damage he could do if he pushes himself too far—Kuroko is inclined to agree—and so Kagami has been spending his days training with Riko while Kuroko is at work. 

He's been practicing often enough to keep his skill level up, but he hasn't played in a serious game in far too long for his liking. Kuroko can feel his tension when they watch games together; he doesn't miss the way Kagami's fingers twitch, like he's desperate to be on the court again. There's little Kuroko can do to help, especially when basketball is such a big part of Kagami's life.

It's different when they're watching Aomine play. Kagami doesn't have the time to miss being on the court when he's watching Aomine play, because he's transfixed, watching the screen like nothing else exists. Kuroko completely understands the feeling himself; Aomine is amazing to watch on the court, the raw talent that always poured from him now polished into something that shines through so brightly that he draws every eye on the court and in the audience too. They've watched countless games in which he's come up against players that have stood in his way, only for him to overcome them. His growth seems exponential and it fills Kuroko with a similar kind of pride as when Kagami does the same thing here, in Japan. 

Kuroko knows that someday, Kagami will be on the Japanese national team while Aomine will be on the American team, and they'll face off with each other. Kuroko can't wait to witness it when it happens, knowing that it'll be worlds apart from the one-on-ones that they play when Aomine comes home during his time off. He can tell that Kagami is looking forward to it too. 

Aomine is in perfect form for this game and Kuroko's English has gotten better from listening to the commentary of so many games. From what he can understand, they're currently praising Aomine on his skill and control. It makes Kuroko proud every single time, even if the commentators can never seem to pronounce Aomine's name correctly.

His team starts off with the lead and the margin steadily grows in the first half, before their opponents start making their comeback. Aomine's skills might be better now, but so are everyone else's. His victories are not as easy to come by any more and Kuroko is glad for it, glad for the way he can see how much Aomine is enjoying himself, even if they're in entirely different countries and all he has to go by is a small figure on his TV screen. He still knows Aomine well enough to read the excitement in his movements. 

Watching Aomine's games always leaves them both feeling worked up, unable to settle. It's a feeling they used to get out of their system by finding the nearest street basketball court, back when they were younger, still in high school. Now, between Kagami's orders to rest his legs and the late hour, it isn't as practical a solution. Instead, they pull each other to bed, continuing what they'd started while cooking dinner. 

Kagami is always a little wilder after watching Aomine play and usually, Kuroko would act as the calming influence, holding him down, not with his strength but with his words. Except Kuroko is just as worked up and when they don't balance each other out they feed into each other instead, their kisses growing increasingly desperate. It's an odd contrast, when they're usually so tender with each other but sometimes, this is what they need instead, hands grasping for each other, pulling each other in and not letting go. Kagami's mouth is hot against Kuroko's skin, seeking out his most sensitive spots and dragging his teeth over them until Kuroko is left trembling and aching for more. 

Kuroko chants Kagami's given name into the small spaces between them, small, gentle hands guiding him where Kuroko wants him to be. Kagami is good at taking direction like this, understanding Kuroko's wordless gestures just as easily as his spoken instructions. There's a familiarity between each other that was quick to grow when they first met and has only become stronger since. They've been together for so many years that they feel like extensions of each other and Kuroko is content with this, content with their relationship. 

They lie in bed tangled with each other after, and Kagami's grip feels proprietary, claiming, and Kuroko loves it. He presses himself into Kagami's touch with a tired, happy hum and hears Kagami huff quietly in amusement, pressing a kiss into his hair. 

"You know I adore you, right?" Kagami murmurs, pulling Kuroko closer.

"And I love you too," Kuroko replies, settling in Kagami's arms as he falls asleep.

 

* * *

 

Kagami likes it when he has a break from training at the same time Kuroko is on holidays, and they have the time to watch Aomine's games live instead of having to record them.

Aomine is incredibly talented and there's not a single person out there who can deny it, Kagami included. Not that Kagami would even dream of it; there's a lot about his current style of playing that he owes to Aomine, to all the times they went head to head in high school tournaments and all the times after that too. They've pushed each other, helped each other grow, and they've even made friends, of sorts, built from their respect and their rivalry. 

He and Kuroko love watching his games together and this is the first time in a while that they've been able to watch a live broadcast. There's an air of excitement in their apartment as they get ready. The game starts at one in the afternoon and while that would work out perfectly well on a weekend, the time difference means that Aomine's games always seem to take place when it's already Monday in Japan. It doesn't work for either of them and then there's the matter of resisting the urge to look up the scores before they actually have the time to watch the game later.

To make matters even more exciting, this is the final match for the season. Aomine's team is playing for the championship, and Kagami honestly believes that they're going to take it. Aomine's entire team is good, not just him, and their opponents look like they'll be tough to beat, but Kagami has no doubt that they'll find a way. 

"You're restless," Kuroko murmurs, smiling at him as they settle on the couch. They're both too excited for lunch so they just have snacks instead, spread out on the coffee table in front of them, within easy reach. 

"Shut up," Kagami replies, "so are you."

Kuroko doesn't deny it, leaning into Kagami's side. "Aomine's team is going to win today."

"You know it." Kagami grins. "He's going to be insufferable when he gets home, I bet. He'll probably try to smuggle the trophy into his luggage if he could get away with it."

Kuroko laughs softly. "That wouldn't surprise me at all."

The match starts, and they lapse into silence as they watch. Both teams are playing hard from the very beginning, maintaining a fast pace for the first quarter. It's a close game, with neither team giving up their lead. It's the kind of game that Aomine _loves_ , because he can push himself as hard as he wants to, knowing that his opponents will push back just as hard. 

Both teams are tied by half time and Kagami stands up when the ten minute interval begins, because he doesn't even know what to do with himself. He wants to be on the court so badly, he wants to be playing a real game. It's not as though Riko has been letting him slack off, and he's been practicing his technique with Kiyoshi, who loves basketball too much to stay away from it even if he can't play himself. Still, it's not satisfying enough and he craves what Aomine has right now, he craves the challenge and the ability to go all out in a game like that. 

"Taiga," Kuroko says quietly, reaching for him. 

Kagami smiles, taking Kuroko's hand and sitting back down. Kuroko can always read him so well, without fail. It's a nice feeling, to know someone so well and to be known just as well in return. It's nice to know that they're on the same page. He can feel Kuroko's hands trembling with excitement in his and Kagami grins, leaning in and kissing him. 

"Remember when I used to think that you were always so calm, because I couldn't read your expressions the way I can now?" he murmurs, pulling Kuroko closer. "I know better now, though."

"Yes you do." Kuroko tucks his head under Kagami's chin and stays like that for a while. 

It ends up working to calm Kagami down. He spends the rest of the interval staying right where he is. Nigou moves from his dog bed at the side of the lounge room to lie under the coffee table, where he can be closer to them. Kagami rubs his foot against Nigou's side affectionately with a smile. Dating and living with Kuroko for so long means that Nigou's been a part of his life for just as long, and perhaps he still doesn't like other dogs, but he's gotten used to this one. As far as he's concerned, that's enough for him. 

"Looks like the second half is starting soon," Kuroko murmurs, as the players make their way back onto the court. Aomine looks incredibly focused and even if Kagami's just watching him on screen, he can still feel the pressure. His opponents feel it too; Kagami can see that in the way they tense as they come onto the court. 

The referee sounds his whistle, and the second half of the game begins.

It's about seven minutes later that everything goes to shit. 

It happens quickly: Aomine is chasing a ball that's about to go out of bounds, lining himself to catch and shoot it before it can hit the floor. He's being chased by two members of the opposing team and they don't have his reflexes. He stops and they keep going, barrelling right into him, the three of them crashing into the nearest bench.

"Aomine!" Kuroko cries out, getting to his feet. 

The audience is similarly shocked, the other players crowding around the three on the floor. The two that crashed into Aomine help each other up and as they step back, it's easier to see Aomine, still lying there, his leg twisted in away that makes Kagami suck in a sharp breath. 

"Shit," he mutters, watching as the game is paused so that Aomine can be carried off on a stretcher. There's a closeup on his face, his expression pinched in a way that says he must be in a lot of pain. Kuroko is still standing there, trembling. Kagami turns to him, freezing up when he sees the shattered expression on his face. "H-hey, Tetsuya—"

"When's the next flight to Los Angeles?" Kuroko asks, his voice so soft that Kagami can barely hear it. "I need to—I'm going to check for the next available tickets."

"Tetsuya?" Kagami calls after him, watching Kuroko get up and grab his laptop off the dining table, opening up a browser window. "What are you doing?"

"Aomine is injured," Kuroko replies, like that explains everything. 

Kagami gets a sinking feeling in his chest at the thought. Maybe it _does_ explain everything. He sits back down heavily on the couch. "Right. I'll—uh. I'll watch Nigou for you."

"What?" 

"Nigou," Kagami says, a little louder. "You're dropping everything to go to Aomine, right? Nigou and I can keep each other company, in that case."

Kuroko frowns, like he doesn't understand. Kagami looks away, clenching his jaw. Kuroko doesn't annoy him often, but in times like these—

"Are you not going to come with me?" Kuroko asks. "I assumed that you were coming with me. Should I have… not made that assumption?"

"You want me to come?" Kagami gets up this time, walking over to the dining table. Kuroko already has the page open to purchase tickets, and the quantity field already is already selected for two. 

"Of course I do."

"But—you're going to Aomine." 

Kuroko frowns at him, like he still doesn't understand what Kagami's saying. " _We're_ going to Aomine. Unless you don't want to—"

"I do," Kagami says hurriedly. Kuroko is still frowning at him, and he can't quite ignore his own irritation either. He can't shake the feeling that they're having two different conversations, but he doesn't even know what that means, or how to fix it. "I'll come with you—but what about Nigou?"

"I'll ask Kise to take care of him," Kuroko replies. "He mentioned that Kasamatsu was talking about getting a dog anyway. He won't mind. There's a flight in four hours. I'll call Kise and ask if he'll watch Nigou for us. It's a Monday afternoon, he should be free."

Kagami stands back, watching as Kuroko organises everything. Kise is worried to hear about Aomine, but is more than happy to take care of Nigou while they're gone. He even agrees to come over and pick Nigou up himself, giving them more time to sort everything else out. 

They don't bother with big luggage, packing a few pieces of clothing each into carry-on bags. It makes Kagami feel a little more at ease, knowing that at least Kuroko isn't packing like he's planning on staying there for a while. Still, that uneasy feeling hasn't gone away once and Kagami doesn't really know what to do with it except for to keep ignoring it. 

It's not until their bags are packed and they're waiting for Kise to arrive to collect Nigou that Kuroko speaks up. He clears his throat, turning to Kagami.

"Did you really think that I was going to leave you behind?"

Kagami sighs, picking his words very carefully. "It just didn't seem like you were thinking about anything except for getting to Aomine. It's like nothing else mattered. But… you know I'm here, if you need me. When you need me. I'm always here."

"I know that," Kuroko replies. "But I always included you in my plans, Taiga."

"I guess I still have trouble reading you sometimes," Kagami replies with a tight smile. "And I mean, this _is_ about Aomine, so…"

"So?" Kuroko asks, suddenly quiet and stiff. "What about Aomine?"

"It's…" Kagami runs a hand through his hair and sighs heavily, shaking his head and looking away. "Nothing. It's nothing. Don't mind me. The point is, I'm coming with you, okay? I'm here for you. Always."

Kuroko nods in reply and that seems to be the end of the matter, but Kagami can't help but feel that he's chosen the wrong thing to say. 

 

* * *

 

Kise doesn't leave them waiting for long. Kuroko suspects that Kise left the house the moment they hung up from their call, but he knows that if he asks, Kise will laugh it off. He silently appreciates it all the same, giving Kise a quick run through what to feed Nigou and when, how much exercise he needs and how often he needs to be taken outside. 

The trip to the airport is mostly silent. Kagami seems wary and he keeps glancing in Kuroko's direction, like he's about to say something, but he never does. Kuroko doesn't speak up either, too distracted with concern for Aomine. He's texted Momoi already to ask if she knows how bad the injury is, and to let her know that they'll be on the next flight over. Momoi's replied that she isn't sure just yet, but she'll keep him updated as soon as she finds out anything new.

Still, he can't stop checking his phone, checking his messages and the news, his mind still stuck on the way that Aomine looked like he was in agony as he was carried off the court. The game resumed after Aomine was taken away for medical attention, but Kuroko can't bring himself to check the score. Aomine's team is strong enough without him, but win or lose, they'll have done it without him for most of the second half and Kuroko can't really bear the thought of that. He knows how disappointed Aomine will be, regardless of the outcome.

"Hey," Kagami finally speaks up, as they're on their way to the check-in counter. He places a hand on Kuroko's shoulder, warm and comforting. "I can see you thinking way too hard. Calm down, alright? We're not going to know what the situation is until we get there. Dwelling on it isn't going to help you. It's not going to help him either."

"Easier said than done," Kuroko mutters.

"I know." Kagami's voice is gently, patient, and he's _trying_ , Kuroko can appreciate that, at the very least. "Look, why don't we check in and then we can get something to eat? We didn't have a proper lunch and I don't think dinner on the plane is going to be all that great either."

"You're right," Kuroko says, letting Kagami lead the way. Between the two of them, Kagami has more experience with international flights. Kuroko knows that he's in good hands.

Checking in is easy when they don't have any luggage to drop off. The security line isn't too long, so they get through that fairly easily as well. Kuroko tries not to check his phone as they sit down to eat, but the nervous feeling doesn't go away. Kagami rests their feet against each other under the table and Kuroko manages a small smile, grateful that Kagami is with him, but then it only reminds him of the fact that Kagami was counting himself out of this trip entirely, as if nothing matters to Kuroko except for getting to Aomine. The thought fills him with a strange kind of irritation because he can't even think of _why_ Kagami would think it. 

They've been together for years now and they've always done everything together, from the smallest things to the big, important things like this, without question. He doesn't know why that's suddenly changed.

"Tetsuya," Kagami says softly, pulling Kuroko out of his thoughts. 

Kagami is watching him carefully, his eyebrows drawn together with concern. Kuroko looks away with a quiet sigh. He doesn't want to talk about this right now. He doesn't know if he can actually deal with having yet another thing to worry about. Kagami keeps watching him patiently, looking even more concerned now. He doesn't push, which Kuroko is grateful for. Kuroko doesn't even know what he would say if Kagami directly asked him what was wrong, because he doesn't really know how to put it into words just yet. At the moment, it's more of an uneasy feeling that he's trying to push back down so he doesn't have to deal with it. Not until he knows what's happening with Aomine, how bad his injury is, how it's going to affect his playing, how long it's going to take to recover. Those thoughts themselves are overwhelming and adding anything more is just going to be too overwhelming.

Eventually, Kagami relents, but he withdraws into himself when he does. He folds his arms across his chest, looking away from Kuroko. He moves his foot away from Kuroko's, and it doesn't feel like he's giving Kuroko space as much as it feels like he's putting a bit of distance between them. Kuroko wants to reach out and reclaim it, but he knows he doesn't have the right. Not when Kagami is just trying to accommodate him.

They don't stray too far from each other's side, even if the rest of their wait until boarding is passed mostly in silence. They shuffle towards the boarding gate when they're told to over the PA system and claim seats beside each other, shoulders nearly brushing against each other. 

The flight isn't too bad. They're flying through the night, which means that they can both sleep. As per Kagami's prediction, the food that they're served is underwhelming and Kuroko's already full from what they've eaten before anyway. He picks at his food, his thoughts wandering, but Kagami's good at choosing the right moments to speak up, to pull him back to the present, to keep him from worrying about things he doesn't even know about yet. 

Momoi didn't have any new information before they boarded their flight and Kuroko can't help but fear that she's purposefully keeping bad news from him until he's landed. He doesn't mention it to Kagami, but after they've finished eating and the cabin lights have been turned down, they both settle in to sleep. Kagami pushes the arm rest between them out of the way, pulling Kuroko against him. 

"You know that if it's serious, Momoi would tell you right away," he murmurs into Kuroko's hair, kissing it. "She'd know better than to keep it from you."

Kuroko sighs, letting himself relax into Kagami's familiar warmth. "I suppose. Thank you." 

"Just get some sleep, yeah? We'll deal with the rest tomorrow."

 

* * *

 

Their flight lands in Los Angeles at about two o'clock in the afternoon, local time. Kagami wakes up as the flight touches down, finding that Kuroko is already awake and staring out of the window. The arm rest is back down between them and there's a pensive look on Kuroko's face, the corners of his mouth pinched downwards into a slight frown. 

Kagami looks away, clearing his throat quietly. The uneasiness twisting in his gut is partially to do with Kuroko right now, but mostly to do with what's coming next, when they finally see Aomine. Surely, in the fourteen hours of their flight, they have a better understanding of exactly what's happened to Aomine's leg and what they can do about it. Kagami's trying not to speculate about it and what it'll mean just yet; that's a bridge he'll cross once he gets to it. 

Alex is waiting for them in the arrivals area, because Kagami texted her to let her know that they were on her way, to save Momoi from having to leave Aomine to come and meet them at the airport. She hugs them both tightly, and they both habitually avoid her attempts to kiss them. Kagami reaches for Kuroko's hand as they start walking towards Alex's car, but Kuroko doesn't respond, either lost in thought or ignoring him. Alex notices, raising an eyebrow at Kagami questioningly but he just shakes his head in reply. He'll explain later, when Kuroko isn't right there.

"I've organised SIM cards for you already," Alex tells them as she drives them to her place. "I usually do for Taiga when he comes over to train anyway, so it was pretty easy. Speaking of, Taiga, let's have a look at those legs and see how you're recovering once you've got the time, okay?"

Kuroko is silent for the entire trip to Alex's place, which isn't unusual anyway, but Kagami can't stop feeling apprehensive about it. He keeps glancing into the rear view mirror to check on Kuroko as he chats with Alex, but Kuroko doesn't meet his gaze, always looking out of the window, lost in thought.

As soon as they get their new SIMs, Kuroko sends a message to Momoi to check in with her, pacing as he waits for a reply. Kagami leaves him to it, moving their bags into Alex's spare room. There's a double bed for them, and Kagami automatically puts their bags on their respective sides, knowing that Kuroko always sleeps on the left. 

"I feel like something's up," Alex says, following Kagami into the spare room. "What's the matter?"

"We'll talk later," Kagami tells her, because now might not be the best time for it, but he _does_ want to talk it out with someone and see if he can figure it out, because he isn't getting anywhere by himself, and he wants this figured out before he talks to Kuroko about it.

When they return to the lounge room, Kuroko has stopped pacing. He looks up from his phone, in the middle of typing out a text. "Aomine's still in hospital. It's currently visiting hours and she said that he'll be okay for us to come and see him. His leg's broken and there's some ligament damage in his knee, but it's nothing that won't heal on its own if he gives it enough rest. They're not sure if he'll be ready to play again by next season, but at least none of the damage seems to be permanent."

"He'll have to take it easy and go to a lot of physiotherapy," Alex hums, rubbing her chin. "If he pushes himself too hard too soon, he's going to ruin his chances of playing professionally ever again. I would know." 

Kuroko presses his lips into a thin line and nods in agreement, before he turns to Kagami. "I told Momoi that we'd go and visit as soon as possible. Are you coming, or—"

"Of course I'm coming," Kagami replies quickly. "Whenever you're ready."

Alex drives them to the hospital, dropping them off and telling them to give her a call when they're ready to be picked up. Momoi meets them near the reception desk, looking tired but happy to see Kuroko. She hugs him tightly, then does the same for Kagami. 

"I'll show you to his room," she says, leading the way through the hallways with a familiarity that says she must have spent most of her time here since Aomine was admitted. 

"Why don't you get something to eat?" Kuroko asks, as they approach Aomine's room. "Rest for a while. You don't have to worry. We'll keep an eye on him for you."

Momoi gives Kuroko a tight, tearful smile and hugs him again. She leads the way into Aomine's room, pulling aside the curtain around his bed.

"Hey, Tetsu." Aomine looks exhausted, but he's still grinning. "Kagami. Satsuki told me you dropped everything and flew all the way over here. What are you, idiots?"

"It's good to see you too, dickhead," Kagami grumbles, but he follows it up with a smile and, "I'm glad it doesn't sound too serious." 

"Yeah, you came just in time. They're going to let me out this afternoon. Even if I'm just confined to the house with strict orders to rest. Coach over here is making me stay with her so she can keep an eye on me. Make sure I don't fuck my knee up any worse than it already is."

"I was terrified," Kuroko says bluntly, walking closer to Aomine's bed. "I saw you fall and—"

Aomine clicks his tongue, reaching out and taking Kuroko's hand, squeezing it firmly. "I'm okay, aren't I? You always get so worked up over things, Tetsu. Everything's fine." 

It's not, really. Aomine can't play or a while and Kagami knows how frustrating that must feel, even if his own reasons aren't as serious. It shows in Aomine's face too, in the shadows in his eyes, the corners of his mouth pulled down into a frown. He's bitterly disappointed, and Kagami is certain that Kuroko can see it too.

Momoi chooses that point to make her exit, telling Aomine that she'll be back by the time he's released. There's a single chair beside Aomine's bed and she pushes it in Kuroko's direction as she leaves, smiling as he sits down in it. Kagami nods at her as she leaves, trying to ignore the fact that Kuroko and Aomine haven't let go of each other's hands even once. 

It's ridiculous for Kagami to feel jealous when he's the one dating Kuroko and he knows it, but there are times like these where he can't help it. Kuroko and Aomine are so tender with each other, from the fondness in their eyes to their lingering touches. It serves as an unpleasant reminder that Kuroko loved Aomine first, that he was still in love with Aomine when he first met Kagami. They've talked about it once, very briefly, long before they started dating. Kagami always thought Kuroko was fairly obvious about his feelings, and Kuroko didn't deny them when asked about them. He'd simply replied that he knew Aomine didn't feel the same, and that was fine.

Watching them now, however, Kagami can't help but wonder if Kuroko's feelings really as as one-sided as he thinks and it's honestly something he doesn't want to think about, but he can't stop now that it's in his mind. He hangs back, half listening to their conversation, half wishing he wasn't there at all. He knew he shouldn't have come along, he knew that this would happen. He could tell from Kuroko's reaction as soon as Aomine got injured, but explaining any of it to Kuroko felt impossible and the time and it still feels impossible now. 

Instead, he just stands somewhere between Kuroko and the door, joining in the conversation when it flow in his direction, letting go of it when it doesn't. He doesn't think Kuroko notices, with his attention so focused on Aomine, and that's okay. Kagami has always felt, somewhere at the back of his mind, that he's Kuroko's second best option. Perhaps this was always bound to happen.

 

* * *

 

They leave the hospital just before Aomine is released, leaving him in Momoi's care once she returns. Kuroko is tired, the concern and the long flight and the difference in timezones finally catching up on him. Kagami notices immediately, taking him by the elbow and guiding him towards the hospital's cafeteria. He orders coffee for them both before sitting down with Kuroko by a window.

"I've texted Alex to let her know to head over," he tells Kuroko, resting his chin in his hand and looking outside. "She's just catching up with some of the people from the basketball club where she coaches. She shouldn't be too long." 

"Thank you," Kuroko says quietly, wrapping his hands around the coffee cup, letting it warm his hands for a bit instead of sipping from it just yet. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Kagami replies, too quickly for it to be convincing. Judging by his expression, he knows it, but he doesn't relent. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," Kuroko hedges, "but if coming to see Aomine here is making you think about your own legs and it's making you worry…"

"I'm not thinking about my legs at all." Kagami shakes his head. "My situation is nowhere near as serious as Aomine's is, and we both know it. I'll be fine." 

"Okay," Kuroko replies, and then lapse into silence. It feels uncomfortable, the way that silences between him and Kagami usually _don't_ , but Kuroko's been feeling this since yesterday, since Kagami assumed that Kuroko was coming to see Aomine without him. 

Kagami doesn't drink his coffee, twisting the cup around in one hand as he continues to stare out of the window, until it starts to feel like he's just trying not to look at Kuroko. It's uncomfortable, and Kuroko doesn't really know what to do about it. If it's not about Kagami's legs, and Kagami won't tell him what it _is_ about, then Kuroko is at a loss. 

They're silent until Alex comes to pick them up. Kagami sits in the front seat, talking to her and updating her on Aomine's situation. Kuroko is silent in the back seat, listening to Kagami explain everything perfectly, even though it didn't even seem like he was paying attention when they were with Aomine. It only serves to confuse Kuroko even further and the harder he thinks about it, the less it makes any sense. 

"One of the juniors' coaches is sick today," Alex tells them as she turns down her street. "I'm going to have to go and take his place for the afternoon, if that's okay with you? Make yourselves at home. Taiga, you know where everything is anyway."

"Of course." Kagami nods. "We'll be fine, right Tetsuya?"

"Uh." Kuroko blinks. It's the first time Kagami's directly spoken to him since they sat down with their coffee at the hospital cafeteria. "Of course."

Alex hums, glancing at Kuroko through the rearview mirror. He turns away so he doesn't have to meet her gaze, feeling oddly exposed. Not that he's surprised at her curiosity; something is very clearly _off_ between him and Kagami. Of course she's bound to notice, especially considering how well she knows Kagami.

He waits until they're inside, after Alex has driven off again, before he turns to Kagami with a quiet sigh. "Will you tell me what's wrong? You said that you're not worrying about your legs, but you've been silent and distant all afternoon." 

"Really?" Kagami raises an eyebrow. "You've been weird the entire way here. You're not exactly one to talk, you know."

"Maybe," Kuroko allows. "Something's—wrong. I didn't want to push before, when we still didn't know how bad Aomine's injury was. I didn't want to give us something _else_ to worry about—"

"But now that you don't have to worry about him," Kagami says, "you can move down your list and worry about me, is that it?"

"List?" Kuroko frowns with confusion. "No, it's not like that—"

"That's exactly what it's like," Kagami replies, his voice full of frustration. "He's always number one, isn't he? He always has been, and it's fine. I'm okay with that. I can deal with it."

"I don't understand," Kuroko says slowly, but there's an uneasy feeling in his stomach that tells him that perhaps he _does_ , as much as he doesn't want to. 

"The only thing I'm worrying about right now is you and Aomine, okay? If you want to stay here, if you want to stay with him, then I understand."

That only makes Kuroko frown even more. "Why would I… stay?" 

"Fuck, Tetsuya, don't make me spell it out for you," Kagami groans, dragging a hand down his face. "I _know_ , okay? I know you're in love with Aomine. You don't have to settle for me, not when he's right here, not when he needs you. I'm not going to blame you for it, okay? I've always known."

"What?" Kuroko's blood runs cold, his voice quiet, and he can't even tell if he's hurt or angry. " _What_ have you always known?"

"Your feelings for Aomine—"

"My feelings for Aomine are a thing of the past, and I told you that a long time ago," Kuroko snaps and yes, okay, that's definitely _anger_ surging through him, white hot and all-consuming. He takes a deep breath, but this is the kind of anger that he doesn't think will be fading any time soon. "I told you that before we even started dating each other. If I was still hung up over my feelings for someone else, I wouldn't be dating you, Taiga. The fact that you think I _would_ do that to you makes me wonder if you know me at all."

"That's not—" Kagami sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know you love me, Tetsuya, but if you had to choose between us—"

"Do I have to?" Kuroko asks quietly. "Are you making me choose? Because that's what it feels like to me at the moment. Is that why you didn't come? Because you thought that I was going to _leave_ you? Despite the fact that we've been together for years, despite the fact that you said for yourself that you know I love you? Have you been waiting all this time, for something to come up, for me to leave you? It's like you've already decided how this is going to go without even asking me about how I actually feel. You're just making assumptions instead and you're _wrong_ , Taiga. I might have loved Aomine once but that was in the past and if I knew that you'd hold it over my head like this, I never would have told you at all."

"You never outright mentioned that you didn't love him any more," Kagami points out, and Kuroko can't tell if he's just reached the end of his patience or if Kagami is grasping for an excuse. "You just said that you knew he didn't feel the same way about you, but I was in the same hospital room as you just then, Tetsuya. I know what I saw and—"

"Stop," Kuroko cuts him off. His hands are balled into fists at his sides and he grits his teeth, taking a moment to breathe through the anger. "I don't want to hear it. Whatever you think you saw, you're wrong and I'm not having this conversation with you. I don't love Aomine, I love you. Or I thought I did." 

"Tetsuya…"

"Please don't." He can feel his breaths wavering, but thankfully, his voice stays even. "I don't really want to speak to you right now. Nothing good is going to come from it."

"Right. Sorry. Do you want some space?" 

"I think I'll go stay at Momoi's place for a while." 

"Where Aomine is—" Kagami begins, but falls silent when Kuroko glares at him. "Right. Okay. Do you want to wait until Alex comes back so she can drop you off? Public transport isn't the greatest around here."

"I'll figure it out," Kuroko replies, because all he needs is to be away from Kagami as soon as possible, before his anger comes spilling out of him in a way that he can't take back. "Please apologise to Alex for me leaving so suddenly." 

"At least text me when you get there?" Kagami asks, shoulders sagging. He looks relieved when Kuroko nods. "Let me know if you need anything, okay? Even if you need to yell at me."

"If I wanted to yell at you, I would yell at you," Kuroko tells him. "What I need right now is to be angry for a while. Just give me space. Okay?"

Kagami nods. "Okay."

"I'll see you later," Kuroko mutters, putting his shoes back on as he pulls his phone out to text Momoi. He honestly doesn't know how long he's going to stay away from Kagami, but for now, he needs to sort out the thoughts in his head. He can worry about the rest after that.

 

* * *

 

By the time Alex returns home, Kagami is sulking on the couch. He received a text from Kuroko an hour ago, telling him that he's arrived safely at Momoi's place. He hasn't heard anything since and he knows better to push, even though he wishes that he knew how Kuroko was doing. He wants to know how long Kuroko is going to stay away, and wants to know what he can do to make up for what he'd said. The problem is, he still stands by his words and he knows that Kuroko won't be happy with that. Kagami can't help it; he knows what he sees. He knows what it's like to love Kuroko with his entire heart and that's the exact look he saw in Aomine's eyes.

"Kuroko isn't here, is he?" Alex asks as she shuts the door behind her, taking her shoes off. She doesn't even look around to check beforehand and Kagami supposes that she doesn't really need to; the fact that he's sitting on the couch by himself probably says enough. "Are we going to have that conversation now, then? The one where you tell me what's going on? Because something has been up since you both arrived and you know better than to deny it."

Kagami sighs heavily. "Yeah. Okay."

"Not right now, though," Alex tells him, patting his head on her way to the kitchen. "Let me make some tea first."

Kagami gets up to help, even though Alex doesn't really need it. She sets the kettle to boil and then pulls two mugs out of the cupboard for them. He hovers by the collection of tea tins she has on her counter, feeling awkward, and Alex takes pity on him, asking him to get the teapot ready. She talks about the junior team she was helping out with, and the way they've improved since she last saw them. Kagami knows that she's just talking to fill the time, to get his mind off things before they sit down and talk about it properly, but he appreciates it all the same. 

"So," she says when they're finally sitting down on the couch again, with two mugs of tea on the table in front of them. "Tell me what happened."

"I fucked up," Kagami sighs. He runs a hand through his hair. "I fucked up so badly, Alex. Tetsuya probably hates me now."

"I doubt that," Alex replies, "but tell me what this is about. I have a feeling that this is about Aomine, because you've always been a little weird about each other."

"Weird?" Kagami frowns. "Weird how?" 

Alex shrugs in reply. "His personality's completely different, but the way you are with each other reminds me a little of how you and Tatsuya used to be. You're both friends and rivals and you keep pushing each other to keep improving. I think it's a good thing. Obviously, Tetsuya cares for him too. The two of you wouldn't be here if you didn't care for Aomine. I know that this is an awkward thing to bring up with your boyfriend, but if you're both into the same person, then…"

"Whoa, wait, what?" Kagami shakes his head. "We're not both into— _what_. No." 

"Oh." Alex blinks. "Are you sure?"

" _Yes_ I'm sure!" With a bitter laugh, Kagami looks away. "I'm not the one who's in love with Aomine. Tetsuya is."

Alex frowns. "He's in love with you both, huh?"

"Maybe I've just always been second best for him. I mean, we talked about it once and he knew that Aomine didn't return his feelings, so maybe he just settled for me because at least _I_ liked him."

"You're saying _maybe_ , but you're acting like this is a given fact," Alex points out, stroking her chin. "Which is it, Taiga? Have you actually talked to Tetsuya about it?"

"We fought about it earlier," Kagami sighs. "Which is why he's not here right now. He says that he doesn't feel that way for Aomine any more, but—"

Before he can continue, Alex whacks him on the head. It's not a hard hit, but he flinches away all the same, rubbing at the spot with a scowl. 

"What was that for?"

"You said you talked about it once and he said he knew Aomine didn't return his feelings," Alex says, frowning. "When was that?"

Kagami shrugs. "I don't know. First year of high school?"

Alex whacks him again. "How long has it been since then? How long have you been dating each other, Taiga? Maybe he had feelings for Aomine back then, but did it never occur to you that he's gotten over it? Do you really think that Tetsuya is the kind of person who would settle for second best?" 

"I… guess not…"

" _No_ , he wouldn't," Alex tells him. "If I know that, then you must know it too."

"But the way they were looking at each other today, Alex—" 

"What if it was Tatsuya in that hospital bed?" Alex asks. "What if Tatsuya injured himself so badly that he could never play again? What would you do then? Would it be any different to what Tetsuya's doing right now?" 

Burying his face in his hands, Kagami groans loudly. "I'm the biggest idiot in the world. Fuck." 

"Talk to Tetsuya," Alex tells him, shaking her head. "Seriously, why do you always have to make things so complicated?" 

"He wants space," Kagami says hesitantly. "What if I just end up annoying him?" 

Before they can argue the point, Kagami's phone buzzes with a message. He glances down at the screen hopefully, but it isn't from Kuroko. It's an unknown number, but the very first line of the message says that it's from Aomine. He says that Kuroko is out with Momoi, and that they need to talk. Considering that he can't go anywhere, it means that Kagami has to come to him. He's written Momoi's address down and Kagami shows it to Alex, raising an eyebrow.

"That's not far from here at all. I'll drop you off." 

"Thanks. I'm sorry for making you drive me around everywhere. I'll catch a cab back." 

She ruffles his hair, smiling at him. "I don't mind. Especially if it means that it helps you sort all of this out." 

Kagami texts Aomine back when Alex is driving him over. Aomine tells him that the door's unlocked and to let himself in. When Kagami does, waving goodbye to Alex from the door, he finds Aomine sitting in a wheelchair with his leg in a brace. 

"Took your time," Aomine grunts, and Kagami wonders if he's just been sitting in the hallway in front of the door, waiting. "Wheel me over to the lounge room, my arms are tired."

"This feels so fucking wrong," Kagami mutters, feeling uneasy as he takes hold of the wheelchair's handles. Aomine feels so much smaller in a wheelchair, more delicate. It's weird.

"You're telling me." With a quiet laugh, Aomine shakes his head. "I can't even kick your ass for making Tetsu sad, what the hell." 

"I don't think he's _sad_ ," Kagami says quietly. "If anything, I'm pretty sure he's angry at me."

"Hey." Aomine looks up at Kagami, his eyebrows drawn together. "I saw the look on Tetsu's face when he got here. He looked pretty fuckin' upset to me." 

Kagami pauses, as they reach the couch. He sighs softly. "…Shit." 

"Yeah," Aomine agrees, wheeling himself around so he's facing the couch, then gestures for Kagami to sit. "I have no interest in getting involved in your shit, okay? But if Tetsu's sad, that's my business. He wouldn't tell me what actually happened, and he wouldn't even say that it was your fault, but the fact that he came here on his own told me enough. So why don't you fill me in?"

Kagami sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "We're going to get right into this, huh?"

"Like I said, I have zero interest in your personal stuff," Aomine says. "I don't want to hear about it."

"Except you're kind of asking about it," Kagami points out. He looks away. "It's fine. It's kind of your business anyway. It's about you."

Raising an eyebrow, Aomine folds his arms across his chest. "What about me?" 

"Tetsuya's in love with you," Kagami says, before he can second guess himself. "You know that, don't you?"

"Really?" Aomine raises an eyebrow. "That's what this is about?"

Kagami frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Tetsu used to have a crush on me," Aomine tells him. "Back when we were at Teiko. I knew he did, because he was kind of obvious about it."

"He still had that crush on you in high school," Kagami adds. "He was pretty obvious about it then, too."

Aomine shrugs. "He got over it. Tetsu's not the kind of guy who sits there and waits for change when he knows it's not going to happen. You know that."

"But you love him, don't you?" Kagami asks. 

"Of course I love him," Aomine replies. "But not the way you do, idiot. I don't love him that way. I don't love _anyone_ that way. You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing. So for starters, stop worrying about him leaving you for me or some kind of bullshit like that. You love each other and I can't believe I'm the one that has to tell you this. I'll punch it through your thick skull if I have to. Secondly, make up with him, for fuck's sake. Grovel if he wants you to, but we both know he won't because he'll forgive you the moment you apologise. He's too good for any of us, honestly, but if you're the one that makes him happy and you make him sad again, I'm kicking your ass as soon as I get this brace off my leg."

Kagami snorts. "Yeah. Okay. Fair enough."

"And while you're here," Aomine says, "go make me an iced coffee. I can't reach anything in the kitchen any more and it sucks." 

Laughing quietly, Kagami gets to his feet. "Yeah, sure. Thanks, man."

"What the hell are you thanking me for?" Aomine shakes his head. "I told you I hate getting involved in your shit." 

"Yeah, well," Kagami smiles. "Thanks anyway, alright?"

 

* * *

 

"Look at these cakes here, Tetsu," Momoi points out the display at the local bakery, one of her arms linked around Kuroko's pulling him along. "Aren't they cute?"

"Oh." Kuroko blinks at them. "Yeah. I suppose so." 

"Are you still sad?" Momoi asks, giving him a concerned look.

He smiles apologetically. "I'm sorry, it's just that I have a lot on my mind, I guess."

"About Kagami?" Momoi prompts, and it's not the first time she's given him the opportunity to talk to her about it, but Kuroko supposes that this time, he might as well take her up on it.

"I'm worried that I've hurt his feelings."

"His feelings?" Momoi smiles, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't he hurt your feelings?"

"Perhaps we both have," Kuroko replies. "I think that's why we're both so upset. I keep thinking about how Taiga felt like I was settling for him, and that makes me wonder if I've ever done anything to make him feel like I was only dating him because Aomine was unavailable."

"I don't know," Momoi says. "I mean, to me, it always seemed like you were happy to be with him. You've always made a cute couple."

Kuroko hums, looking back at the cake display. There's a cheesecake on the top shelf that he knows that Kagami would like. He knows that it won't really suffice as an apology for how he's made Kagami feel, but he wants to do _something_. Perhaps he can think of something when he returns to Alex's house.

With a sigh, he looks away from the display. "Even if it doesn't seem that way to anyone else I must have been doing something wrong. I need to fix things. I need to make it clear to Taiga that I love him, that I'm with him because I want to be with him, not for any other reason. _I love him_."

Momoi smiles at him. "You don't really look like you're mad at him any more."

"I guess not," Kuroko replies. He smiles himself. "I'm not very good at staying angry at him. Especially for something that isn't completed his fault. I have to take responsibility too."

Momoi's phone buzzes and she checks it, smiling at the screen. "Well, how about we go back to my place? We'll buy some cake for Daiki to feel better and you can figure things out from there."

They settle on a chocolate cake for Aomine and Kuroko carries the cake box as they walk back to Momoi's house. It's a short walk back and she's smiling as she unlocks the door, leading the way inside. Kuroko follows, finding Aomine sitting in the lounge room where they left him, then freezes in his tracks when he sees Kagami sitting there beside him.

"T-Tetsuya?" Kagami stammers, looking just as surprised to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"What are _you_ doing here?" Kuroko asks, then looks over at Aomine, who is wearing a self-satisfied grin. "This is your doing, isn't it?"

"Hey, it's just that you're both looking so damn miserable on your own. It's annoying. I don't want to get stuck in the middle of anything, here. That's not really my thing."

"What did Taiga tell you?" Kuroko asks despairingly, looking between the two of them. He isn't even sure he wants to know the answer.

"Nothing I didn't already figure out myself, a long time ago," Aomine replies. "But that's behind us both, isn't it Tetsu? Seems to me like this idiot over here just took a while to catch up to that fact."

"I'm sorry," Kagami says quickly, before Kuroko can say anything else. "I shouldn't have made the assumptions I did. I should have just listened to you instead of getting all caught up in my own concerns—"

"But that's my fault, isn't it?" Kuroko interrupts gently. "You wouldn't even be concerned about any of that if I made you feel like you were the one and only person I want to be with. You are, okay? I'll make sure you know that from now on."

"Gross," Aomine grumbles, but he's smiling. "You're both so disgusting. My teeth are going to rot if you keep this up."

"You brought it upon yourself," Kuroko replies, absolutely unapologetic as he crosses the room to where Kagami is sitting and pecks him on the lips. He pulls away with a smile, looking at Kagami. "Sorry, Taiga. We'll make sure we're both on the same page from now on, okay?"

Kagami grins, taking hold of Kuroko's hand and tugging him back down into another kiss. "Yeah. Sounds good to me. Love you."

Momoi hums happily as Kuroko repeats it back to Kagami. "I'm so glad that you both could work things out. I'm happy for both of you."

Aomine grunts. "Just don't get into a fight like this again, yeah? It's weird and annoying. I don't want to have to deal with it."

Kuroko smiles at Aomine. "We'll try not to. Thank you for helping us actually talk to each other and work this out."

"Yeah, yeah." Aomine looks away, rubbing the back of his neck. "Anyway, look. This cake isn't going to eat itself, is it? So you'd better stay for dinner and help finish it afterwards. Right, Satsuki?"

"That's exactly right." Momoi beams. "Enjoy your comfort food while you can, Dai. You'll be on a strict diet to assist your recovery from tomorrow. You can't even run away this time."

Kuroko laughs quietly at the look of horror that crosses Aomine's face. "It's okay, I'm sure you can do it."

"Yeah," Kagami adds. "The sooner you get through your recovery, the sooner we can play against each other again, right? I'm going to be building on my strength and technique while I wait. I'm not going easy on you just because you broke your leg, you know."

"Wouldn't want you to anyway," Aomine replies with a smirk. "Bring it. I'll beat you anyway."

Kuroko squeezes Kagami's hand fondly, grateful that everything feels like it's finally settled back to normal. Kagami pulls him down onto the couch and Kuroko goes with a smile. He presses himself against Kagami's side and it's as warm and comforting as ever. There's nowhere else in the world that Kuroko would rather be and from now on, he's going to make sure Kagami knows it, beyond the shadow of a doubt.


End file.
